Automatic rinsing machine for diapers



NOV. 8, 1960 5, JOHNSON 2,959,043

AUTOMATIC RINSING MACHINE FOR DIAPERS Filed Sept. 26, 1958 a v INVENTOR.

ZHiL SHELDON B. JOHNSON I ll 0 I 34 3:3 "27 fzz t A ,1 32 3/ 28 WATTORNEYS r United States Patent AUTOMATIC RINSING MACHINE FOR DIAPERSSheldon B. Johnson, 83 N. 100 East, St. George, Utah Filed Sept. 26,1958, Ser. No. 763,687

12 Claims. (CI. 6812) This invention relates to washing and rinsingmachines, and especially to those designed for automatic operation. Itis particularly concerned with providing an automatic machine forrinsing soiled diapers, although the novel features of the invention maybe applied wherever found useful.

Diapers soiled by bowel movements present a difiicult and mostdisagreeable problem, both to those who must care for babies and todiaper laundries. Rinsing of wet solid matter, which tends to mat andcling tightly to the diaper fabric, is almost essential prior to theactual washing. Mothers have resorted to various ways of accomplishingthis, and various devices have been developed to aid in the task, but noentirely satisfactory and sanitary procedure or device has heretoforebeen developed.

This invention is primarily concerned with providing a machine forsolving the problem in a most expeditious, convenient, and sanitarymanner.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a rinsing machinecapable of being constructed compactly and at a cost which adapts it fordomestic use; one which will be automatic in operation, requiring nohandling of the soiled diapers to be washed or rinsed, except fortossing them into the machine; one which will be fast and positive inoperation, resulting in soft cleanliness in an exceedingly short periodof time prior to subsequent washing and sterilization in the customarymanner and in customary equipment; and one which will, during each useof the machine, automatically and completely dispose of the waste matterrinsed off.

Outstanding features of the invention in the accomplishment of theseobjects are the provision of a rinsing container or tub having an opendrain; jet means for introducing rinse water into the tub through theopen drain in such a manner that drainage of liquid from the tub islargely prevented during introduction of water thereinto; a rotor in thetub for catching and twirling diapers or similar articles duringintroduction of rinse water into and drainage thereof from the tub; andtiming means for controlling rinsing cycles.

Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description of the presently preferredembodiment illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. .1 represents a perspective view of the machine, with the cover ofthe rinsing container or tub swung back into open position and a minorportion thereof broken away to reveal otherwise hidden detail.

Fig. 2, a rear elevation drawn to an enlarged scale, the cover beingshown in closed position and a portion of the tub wall being broken outto reveal the rotor;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4. a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3and drawn to a more enlarged scale; and

2,959,043 Patented Nov. 8, 1960 Fig. 5, a wiring diagram of theelectrical control circuit, including a schematic showing of the timingmechanism.

Referring to the drawings:

In this illustrated form of the machine, a rinsing container or tub 10is supported by a box-like base structure 11, which serves to house theoperating components.

The bottom of tub 10 is formed as a well 10a, Fig. 4, in the bottom ofwhich is a drain opening 12 from which leads an open drain 13.Positioned over the drain opening 12 is a deflector 14, which isadvantageously of the inverted conical formation shown, so as todeflect, laterally and circumferentially thereof, a high velocity jet ofwater directed toward it from within the drain piping 13.

For supplying the jet of water, a pipe 15, of relatively smallcross-section compared with that of drain piping 13, is connected tosuch drain piping in any suitable manner, for example, by means of adepending nipple 13a, as shown in Fig. 4, so that its outlet is directedtoward the depending apex 14a of deflector 14, its opposite end (notshown) being adapted for connection to a source of water under pressure,usually an ordinary water faucet. A solenoid valve 16, interposed inpipe 15, controls supply of the jet-forming water.

The jet of water issuing from pipe 15 supplies a body of rinse water intub 10. Lateral and circumferential deflection of such jet of water asit enters at the bottom of the tub serves as a dynamic stopper againstoutflow of the accumulating body of water through the drain opening 12.Accordingly, for such time as the jet is flowing, practically no waterdrains from the container. Shutting off the jet by means of solenoidvalve 16 enables the accumulated water in tub 10 to rapidly drain awaythrough open drain piping 13.

In order to properly rinse diapers placing in rinsing tub 10 when itstop cover 17 is opened as shown in Fig. 1, a rotor 18 is provided in thelower part of the tub, preferably within the opening of well 10a, asillustrated.

Such rotor 18 is advantageously constructed as an open framework, so asto catch hold of the diapers and drag them through the body of wateraccumulating in the tub. In the construction illustrated, rotor 18 has ahub 18a secured to the drive shaft 20a of a reversible electric motor20, the open framework being provided by a plurality of. radial arms 18bmade up from stiff wire bent to form upstanding loops for each of thearms. These loops are advantageously of acute angle formation at their.outer ends 180, so there will be no danger of wedging diapers betweensuch outer ends and the inner wall faces of the tub as the rotorrotates.

Motor 20 is secured below the tub 10 within base structure 11, as bymeans of a suspension bracket 2i)-1,

its drive shaft 20a projecting up through the bottom of the tub. Leakageis prevented by conventional gaskets and packing glands (not shown). a

In operation, the diapers catch on the rotor arms 18b and are vigorouslyswirled around in the rinse water within tub 10. As the water rises inthe tub, the rotor imparts vortexial motion to it, causing it to climbup against the sides of the tub and leaving the center depressed.

A screen or grating 21 is advantageously interposed between the rotorand the well opening. In this illustrated construction, such screen 21is a part of the rotor itself, forming a bottom plate which is securedto and rotates with hub 18a and the radial arms 18b.

Once the machine is started, the rinsing and draining cycle is carriedthrough and repeated automatically. For this purpose, there is providedan electrical control circuit, Fig. 5, embodying a timing mechanism.While the timing mechanism may be of any suitable type, verysatisfactory results are obtained with the cam timer 22, Fig. 2, whichhas four switch-actuating cams 23 through 26, respective ly, Fig. 5,secured to a common cam shaft 27, Fig. 2, which is driven by a motor 28.

Cam 23 actuates switch 31, which controls timer motor 28; cam 24actuates switch 32, which controls both the rotor motor 29 and thesolenoid valve 16; cams 25 and 26 actuate switches 33 and 34,respectively, which serve to reverse the leads to rotor motor 21). Theswitches have sprmg arms 31a, 32a, 33a, and 34a, respectively, which areelectrically conducting and provided with opposed contacts at their freeends operable between pairs of opposed stationary contacts, asillustrated in Fig. 5. Such switches are readily obtainablecommercially.

?ower is taken from a customary electric outlet by 'means of a usualelectric plug 35, and operation is commenced by pressing a push button36. The electrical circuit and the several timer cams are so arrangedthat the push button energizes timer motor 28 long enough to cause cam23 to close its switch 31, which closes the timer motor circuitindependently of the push button. Continued operation of the timer motorcauses cam 24 to almost immediately close its switch 32 and thereby openthe normally closed solenoid valve 16, as well as energize rotor motor20 in a given direction determined by the setting of cams 25 and 26.

in this illustrated construction, cam 24 is configurated to retain itsSwitch 32 closed and then open, alternately, for respective given timeperiods during each revolution or the cam, so that drainage takes placeduring a limited period of time at each half cycle of cam revolution.Cams 25 and 26 are configurated to reverse the leads to rotor motor 20during each drainage period, so that there will be a reversal of thedirection of rotation of rotor 18 during each cycle of operation. Eachoperative cycle includes two fillings of tub and two drainings, with thedirection of rotor rotation reversed from filling to filling.

A preferred timing is one minute for a complete rotation of the camshaft and cams, the length of each period of rotor rotation beingeighteen seconds and the length of each drainage period being twelveseconds.

it soiled diaper is usually bunched together in more or less of a ballwhen thrown into the rinsing container or tub 10. As the rinsing wateris introduced to such container or tub through jet supply pipe 15,rotation of rotor 18 tends to scrub and spread the diaper until it isfloated by the accumulating body of water, which enables the arms 18b ofthe rotor to catch hold of and to drag the diaper through the rinsewater. Upon completion of the operative cycle, the diaper is spread outsubstantially full length around the inner walls of the tub inexception- 'ally clean and soft condition ready to be subjected toeither the customary washing or sterilization, or both. As indicatedpreviously, the entire rinsing operation consumes only one minute oftime. If desired, a small quantity of some detergent may be applied tothe diaper before tossing it into the rinsing tub.

During the rinsing action, the vortexial motion of water and diaperproduces air pressure within the container or tub 10. which is relievedby the provision of a perforate area 37, Fig. l, centrally of the cover17. a depending annular wall 17a being provided in surroundingrelationship to such area to largely prevent spraying of Watertexteriorly of the tub.

The container or tub 10 is preferably square in' crosssection, toenhance the agitating and scrubbing action exterted on the diaper.

The machine is most easily used by setting it close to a :toilet bowl,advantageously on top of the flush tank. drainage being accomplisheddirectly into such bowl by means of a suitable length of hose formingthe outer reach of drain pipe 13. Fig. 1. jet pipe is also preferably ahose which may be con- ;nected to any convenient Water faucet.

The outer reach of water supply Whereas this invention ishereillust-rated and described with respect to a presently preferredspecific embodiment thereof, it should be understood that variouschanges may be made without departing from the essential inventiveconcepts.

I claim:

1. An automatic rinsing machine for diapers and like articles,comprising a rinsing container having an opening for receiving soiledarticles to be rinsed; a rotor within said container, said rotor beingprovided with means for catching and holding said articles; means foractuating said rotor; an open drain leading from the bottom of thecontainer; means for introducing a jet of rinse water from an outsidesource into said container through said drain to serve both forsupplying rinse Water to the container and as a dynamic stopper for thedrain; means positioned over said drain for intercepting and laterallydeflecting said jet of rinse water, so that drainage from the containeris largely prevented during flow of rinse water thereinto; means forstarting and stopping said jet of rinse water; and timing means forcontrolling the rotor-actuating means and the jet starting and stoppingmeans.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the means for actuating the rotor isan electric motor; the means for introducing a jet of rinse water is apressure supply line; and the means for starting and stopping said jetinclude a normally closed solenoid valve controlling flow of pressurewater through said supply line; and electric circuits for supplyingelectricity to the rotor motor and the solenoid, the timing means beingoperative to open and close said circuits.

3. The machine of claim 2, wherein the rotor motor is of reversing type,and the timing means is constructed and arranged to shut off the switchmotor at the end of one complete cycle of operation, to actuate therotor motor and solenoid valve twice during each cycle of operation, andto reverse the direction of rotation of said rotor motor for eachactuation thereof.

4. The machine of claim 2, wherein the rotor is positioned for rotationin a horizontal plane immediately above the drain opening.

5. The machine of claim 4, wherein means at the bottom of the containerdefines a well whose opening is encompassed by the rotor, the jetintercepting and deflecting means being positioned within said well; andwherein a screen is interposed between said rotor and said jetintercepting and deflecting means.

6. The machine of claim 5, wherein the top of the container is open andprovided with a cover; and wherein said cover is provided with anopening centrallv thereof for the exit of air during operation of themachine.

7. The machine of claim 6, wherein a depending ridge is provided aboutthe opening in the cover and at the underside of said cover.

8. The machine of claim 7, wherein the container is substantially squarein internal cross-section about and above the rotor.

9. The machine of claim 1, wherein the rotor is constructed as an openframework for catching the articles placed within the container and forholding them during rotation.

10. The machine of claim 9, wherein the rotor has a plurality of radialarms formed as upstanding loops.

11. In combination with a container for liquids, an open drain leadingfrom said container; means for introducing a jet of liquid from anoutside source into said container through said open drain to serve bothfor supplying rinse water to the container and as a dynamic stopper forthe drain; means positioned over said open drain for intercepting andlaterally deflecting said jet of liquid, so that drainage is largelyprevented during flow of liquid into said container; and means forstarting and stopping said jet of liquid.

12. An automatic rinsing machine for diapers and like articles,comprising a rinsing container having an open drain; jet means forintroducing rinse water into the con- 5 tainer through the open drain;means positioned over said References Cited in the file of this patentopen drain for intercepting and laterally deflecting the UNITED STATESPATENTS rinse water, so that drainage of liquid from the container islargely prevented during introduction of water lvgiooks g 3 thereinto' arotor in the container for catching and twirl- 5 egmore 2,775,975Andrews Jan. 1, 1957 ing the diapers or like articles duringintroduction of rinse Water into and drainage thereof from thecontainer; and FOREIGN PATENTS timing means for controlling rinsingcycles. 685,495 Great Britain I an. 7, 1953

